Vanoise Ski Touring
By Paul Henderson
This guidebook provides an introduction to ski touring in France's Savoie and covers the Vanoise National Park and surrounding area. 11 routes across all the major areas of the region including tours of all levels of difficulty and styles, from one-day trips to multi-day, hut-to-hut journeys, plus the best ski-mountaineering ascents.
Seasons
Generally February until May, but may vary according to snow conditions.
Centres
Valmorel, St Francois-Longchamp, Le Collet d’Allevard, Les Septs Laux, Granier, La Plagne, Valloire, Val d’Isere, the Ambin valley, Averole valley, Carro/Evettes.
Difficulty
All grades from easy to strenuous. Ski touring and ski mountaineering can be extremely dangerous. Always be sure that you are properly equipped, and are trained and experienced in mountain safety.
Must See
Completing a ski tour with perfect snow, in perfect weather!
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Overview
Ski Touring in the Vanoise provides an introduction to ski touring in the French département of Savoie and covers the Vanoise National Park and surrounding area. Skiing exploded in Savoie in the 1960s and 1970s, when every mountain village wanted to exploit the 'white gold' that fell every winter. Despite the massive development of ski resorts, including some of the biggest and best in the world, many areas remained untouched and became the reserve of ski tourers. It is in these untouched areas that you will find the real 'white gold' of Savoie.
The guide is aimed at skiers who find the magnificent, unspoilt scenery and peace and quiet of the mountains as exhilarating as the thrill of a perfect descent. The guide covers all the major areas of the region and includes tours of all levels of difficulty and of all styles, from one-day trips to multi-day, hut-to-hut journeys. The tours that have been chosen reflect the variety of landscape and skiing that makes ski touring in Savoie so special.
The guide is divided into 12 chapters, which describe 63 days of skiing, with over 100 additional alternatives and variations. Although more than an off-piste skiing guide, many of the tours start from resorts and can be combined with a resort-based ski holiday.
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Contents
Contents
Introduction
Geography
Access
Snow Conditions and Avalanches
Emergencies
Equipment
Maps
Mountain Huts
Accommodation
Bad Weather Alternatives
Using the Route Descriptions
Chapter 1: The Lauzière
Alternatives
Day 1 The Pointe de Combe Bronsin
Day 2 Traverse of Mont Bellacha
Day 3 The Grand Arc
Day 4 Traverse of the Pointe des Marmottes Noires
Day 5 The Pic du Rognolet
Day 6 The Grand Pic de la Lauzière
Chapter 2: The Belledonne
Alternatives
Day 1 La Bourgeat Noire to the Refuge de l'Oule
Day 2 Traverse of the Col de Comberousse and the Col de la Valloire
Day 3 Traverse of the Col de l'Eglise and the Col de Morétan
Day 4 Tour of the Pic Nord du Merlet
Day 5 Tour of the Grand Morétan
Chapter 3: The Beaufortain
Alternatives
Other Itneraries
Day 1 Granier to the Refuge de la Coire
Day 2 Tour of the Crêt du Rey
Day 3 Traverse of the Col du Mont Coin and the Col du Bresson
Day 4 Traverse of the Col du Grand Fond and the Col de la Nova
Day 5 Traverse of the Mont Rosset
Chapter 4: Valloire
Alternatives
Other Itineraries
Day 1 Traverse of the Pointe des Raticières
Day 2 The Aiguille de l'Epaisseur
Day 3 The Col des Aiguilles d'Arves
Day 4 Traverse of the Crête d'Argentière
Chapter 5: The Tour of the Mont Thabor
Alternatives
Day 1 Traverse of the Col de Fontaine Froide
Day 2 Traverse of the Col de l'Etroit du Vallon and the Crête de Mome
Day 3 The Pic du Lac Blanc
Day 4 Traverse of the Rocher de la Grande Tempête
Day 5 The Roche Château
Day 6 Traverse of the Mont Thabor
Chapter 6: The North Vanoise
Alternatives
Other Itineraries
Day 1 Le Bois to the Refuge de Plaisance
Day 2 The Dôme des Pichères
Day 3 Traverse of the Pointe de Vallaisonnay
Day 4 The Col de la Grande Casse
Day 5 The Col du Tougne
Chapter 7: The Glaciers de la Vanoise
Alternatives
Day 1 Les Prioux to the Refuge de la Valette
Day 2 Traverse of the Dôme de Chasseforêt
Day 3 Traverse of the Col du Moine
Day 4 Traverse of the Pointe de l'Observatoire
Day 5 The Dôme de Polset
Chapter 8: Val d'Isère
Alternatives
Day 1 Val d'Isère to the Refuge de Prariond
Day 2 The Pointe de la Galise
Day 3 The Grande Aiguille Rousse
Alternatives
Day 1 Val d'Isère to the Refuge du Fond des Fours
Day 2 Traverse of the Pointe de Méan Martin
Day 3 Traverse of the Pointe de la Sana
Chapter 9: The Ambin Valley
Alternatives
Other Itineraries
Day 1 The Le Suffet to the Refuge d'Ambin
Day 2 The Mont d'Ambin
Day 3 The Pointe Sommeiller
Day 4 The Pointe Ferrand
Day 5 Traverse of the Petit Vallon
Chapter 10: Avérole
Alternatives
Other Itineraries
Day 1 Bessans to the Refuge d'Avérole
Day 2 The Col de la Bessanèse
Day 3 The Ouille d'Arbéron
Day 4 Traverse of the Albaron
Chapter 11: Carro/Evettes
Alternatives
Other Itineraries
Day 1 Ecot to the Refuge du Carro
Day 2 The Levanna Occidentale
Day 3 The Grande Aiguille Rousse
Day 4 The Carro–Evettes Traverse
Day 5 The Petite Ciamarella
Day 6 The Pointe Francesetti
Chapter 12: Ski Mountaineering
The Aiguille des Glaciers
The Aiguille de la Grande Sassière
The Mont Pourri
The Grande Casse
Glossary
Appendix 1 Mountain Hut List
Appendix 2 Tourist Information Offices -
Maps
IGN Top 25 series (1:25,000)
Didier Richard 1:50,000
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Updates
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January 2006
Chapter 7: The Glaciers de la Vanoise
Day 3
The Fond d’Aussois hut has been replaced by a new hut, just next to the old one. The new hut is perhaps more comfortable than the old one, but it has nowhere near the same charm. The hut is staffed from the end of March to the middle of May (40 places when staffed, 19 places in the winter room). The telephone number has not changed.
Day 4
In 2005, the Péclet-Polset hut burned down (for the third time in its history) and is now in the process of being repaired. At the moment, a winter room is open, but there are no heating or cooking facilities (according to the tourist office at Pralognan). It is hoped to reopen the refuge fully this summer, but there is “no guarantee this will happen”.
Chapter 9: The Ambin Valley
Day 2
Mont d’Ambin: the easiest way to the true summit from above the subsidiary summit at 3314m is to stay to the right (east) of the summit ridge, reaching the summit from the north. Most people stop at the subsidiary summit at 3314m.
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Paul Henderson
Most peoples' lives contain at least one significant turning point. Paul Henderson's came in 1995 - on his 32nd birthday - when he moved to France to join his wife, Alice, in Chambéry.The guides he has put together for Cicerone were motivated by a desire to share the joy he has found ski touring and cycling in the French Alps.
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